SUMTER, S.C. — If you’re walking down the streets of downtown Sumter, chances are you’re seeing something new as the opera house expansion project is ramping up.
The opera house as it stands, is at 21 N. Main St., and the expansion project is happening right next door at 19 N. Main St.
“A type of addition on to this, I think, will really benefit Sumter,” resident Linell Anderson says about the Sumter Opera House. “It adds a great deal of diversity down here as far as the shows that come in.”
Mike Holbrook tells me he agrees.
“What's interesting is I just tried to go there not too long ago and it was sold out to an event that I did want to go to,” Holbrook laughs.
It’s why the city of Sumter’s Presenter and Cultural Manager Seth Reimer says the opera house is being expanded.
“We recognize the need for a renovation and expansion just in the way that they building in 1985, 86 when it was last renovated, it had a different intention then we do now where we need a bigger lobby to hold 500-some people, we need a bigger backstage to hold the type of shows and things that we want to do as well,” Reimer explains. “So that will expand our offerings to our community just by enlarging the backstage and the storage space and having dressing rooms for the artist that are on the street level as well.”
Reimer says the alleyway will be closed as the buildings merge. He tells me the existing opera house will stay looking the same as it does now, with construction workers aiming to preserve the historic design of the new building while working to update it. Up first is the roof. Eventually, Reimer says residents can expect to see a more spacious lobby, bigger bathrooms and a larger stage area.
“That’s just beyond exciting to know that it’s happening. It’s been a lot of planning, a lot of planning,” Reimer explains. “So seeing the fencing and the barriers come up might be somewhat of an eyesore, but it is certainly something that lets people know that there is something happening here and it’s something to be proud of.”
Reimer says the project is expected to be finished in about 18 to 24 months, and hopes it will attract even more people to Sumter.
“I think in general an arts based community is a thriving community. A place where people go for entertainment. A place where people can go to forget about some of the troubles that they might have or just kind of relief,” Reimer shares. “So having an opera house kind of as an anchor for downtown, it’s our hope that it becomes a destination for people across the state and across the southeast.”
Reimer says that while the current opera house is getting constructed, new shows will still be coming to the city but will be held in different event spaces around town that will be announced in the coming weeks.